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A new study shows that prolonged cell phone use has been linked to brain cancer, as well as tissue damage. The study was led by one of the world's top neurosurgeons, Australian Vini Khurana, who stated that exposure to mobile phone radiation has many effects on the body.
According to Dr. Khurana, since tumors take at least a decade to develop, the studies showing that very few people have had tumors due the use of cell phones are invalid and that using mobile phones for 10 years could double the risk of brain cancer. Dr. Khurana told The Independent newspaper of London, "This danger has far broader public-health ramifications than asbestos and smoking." This assessment was based on the fact that three billion people now use the phones worldwide, which is three times higher than people who smoke. Smoking kills some five million globally each year and far fewer people are exposed to the deadly effects of asbestos.
Dr. Khurana also told The Independent that handset radiations could heat the side of the head or potentially thermoelectrically interact with the brain, whereas Bluetooth devices and unshielded headsets could alter the handset user's head into an effective, potentially self-harming antenna.
Dr. Khurana conducted a 15-month review of over 100 prior studies regarding the effects of mobile handsets and concluded that the use of cell phones should be avoided whenever possible. In addition, he called for governments and industry to take "immediate steps" to reduce radiation exposure through the mobile devices. He stated that "If industry and governments do not adopt immediate and decisive measures," the rate of malignant brain tumors and the resulting mortality rate will grow at a global level within about ten years. But at that point it will be too late to intervene. He added, "In the years 2008-2012, we will have reached the appropriate length of follow-up time to begin to definitively observe the impact of this global technology on brain tumor incidence rates."
The French government has already warned against mobile phone use, especially by children. In addition, Germany and the European Environment Agency have advised their people to curtail their exposure to mobile handsets.
Dr. Khurana has received 14 international awards over the past 16 years and has published in numerous scientific journals. The results of this study have also been published on a web site for brain surgery. He acknowledges that in cell phones save lives in some cases, yet stated, "There is a significant and growing body of evidence (confirming) the link between cell phones and some brain tumors." He also noted that malignant brain tumors are "a diagnosis of death."
The study is said to be the most damning indictment of cell phone use as a cigar, pipe or cigarette replacement. However, The Australian Mobile Telecommunications Association has rejected Dr. Khurana's research stating that handsets are designed, built and tested to comply with strict science-based guidelines. The industry maintains that no recent research has found that exposure to the radio frequency fields from mobile phones and base stations has caused any adverse health problems.
According to the World Health Organization, further research is needed over a number of years to fully assess the health risks.
